My Heart in Handcuffs

Chapter 4

“But that can’t be true!” I was in a state of denial and I knew it.

“Facts are facts. I will be back.” In the dazed state that I was in, I barely registered the quiet click as the door to the room opened and closed. I was left alone to stare at the same glass panel in front of me. It occurred to me that they were being overly….interested…in my mother’s murder. I mean, the FBI was involved! I know my mother was somewhat important, but…still. I was glad that she important enough for all this fuss to happen because of her, but more importantly, I missed her.

I wondered what she would say if she were here now. “Remember Eva,” she used to instruct me when I was a kid, “if you’re ever feeling down, remember that in the end everything will be okay. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.” Her perfect pearl-like teeth would swallow me up in a loving smile right then. I missed that smile. I missed her. I shook my head. I couldn’t let myself think about that now. I had to get out of this situation first. Stephan would get me out of here. I knew he would. He would tell the police about how I was with him that night. That should be enough to cut me loose right?

“We’ve contacted Stephan. He’ll be here tomorrow for his interrogation.” Eric was in front of me all of a sudden. I had been so lost in my reverie; I hadn't even noticed him slip into the room.

I nodded.

“We still need to get your statement though. Both of your stories need to match up. Letter for letter, and word for word.” At that he looked me straight in the eye, “Eva, I need you to be completely serious. If you’re really innocent then this will put you in clear water right away. An alibi and a witness is more than enough. So, please if you have any care about keeping your heart beating say the truth and nothing but.”

I took a deep breath. I knew he was right, and frankly, I didn’t hate life enough to want to die for a crime I didn’t commit. Slowly I started my story. It wasn’t a particularly appropriate one though and as soon as I started I could almost see Eric’s inside grimace.

“We were on a date. We st-”

“Where? And When?” Eric didn’t even give me the chance to finish my first sentence.

“God, gimme a break. I was just getting to that part. As I was saying, he took me out. He picked me up at 6.30 from my place. Wait, wait. Lemme start from before that. I took a nap that day at 3.45ish. I woke two hours later, so it was about 5.45 and I went into the shower. I took a quick shower and got dressed for my date and when I got downstairs to the kitchen my mom had left me a note. We have a small board that she keeps stuck on the fridge and we both have to check it before we go out anywhere. It’s like a habit I guess. So I read her note, it said “had to rush to work, Emergency, will be late, call before you sleep, love mom “and two x’s at the end.” My voice cracked as I said that. Clearing my throat to hide what I was feeling, I continued, “I erased it and wrote my own message, “out with Stephan, dunno when I’ll be back, love you too” and my own two x’s .”

“Why’d you write that message? Where you planning to stay the night with Stephan?”

“No. but I told you it’s a habit.  Mom always said you never know what might happen so we both need to know where the other is.”

“I see. Isn’t a bit odd to be 21 and still living with your mom?”

“I go to the university two blocks from home, and since my dad dumped us when I was seven I don’t like to leave my mom alone.”

“Okay, anyway what then?”

“I went out. Stephan took me to this roof top and we had Chinese. He gave me this as well.” I stood up at that and lifted my shirt halfway to reveal my belly pierce.